Okay so my husbands cousin(who is like my brother) wants to have a cook off with me. He's going to culinary school and thinks he can beat the pants off me. I'm pretty confident in my vegan culinary skills but I'm still nervous. His brother is going to pick out the appetizer, entree and something sweet to finish. Now I'm second guessing my ability! The family will be the judges. What if they like his better??? I can't have that!!!

I am also making an appetizer and dessert. I'm making a pecan praline cheese cake right now that is nothing less than amazing. Maybe I'll make it for the cook off. We have to make the same thing though and compare it. My other cousin is the one picking so maybe he will take a little input??

While they are eating his dishes, do you get to show them pictures of the various atrocities and cruel actions that were the result of his ingredient choices? It could really help to offset the casien high that he will have as an advantage.

Seriously, good luck. I think you really can't lose when your exposing omnis to cruelty free delicious cuisine; however they choose his dishes, I would bet a trial by "your peers" with the more purified taste buds would certainly vote for the more wholefood natural flavours that vegan cooking provides.

If I get into the whole animal thing they will all just judge me and tell me that I can't do anything about it and I shouldn't impose my opinions on others and that I'm wrong for judging them. It's my husbands family and they are ALL over the top sensitive and rude... Lucky me right?? Luckily they will acknowledge good food when they taste it. They all love my food so I don't think I'll have a problem with them liking it. I'm just nervous I guess... Even though my husbands cousin knows nothing about vegan cooking. He's just in school for it so I think that HE thinks he has an advantage.

Every time I make a dish and give some leftovers to them, they don't believe it's Vegan. Like they think I eat grass or something. LolThis family is BIG omni and trying to get ethical would just be a waste of my time. They get upset and rude about it. But they respect my decisions and have finally left me alone about it. I live right outside of New Orleans which is nothing but a tone of butter, cheese and seafood in EVERYTHING. switching didn't really go over we'll with them and I had to deal with their opinions for about 6months straight. Now if I just don't say anything they just leave me alone. The cook off was not last night. We just had some friends over for cards and I was hosting a party for a friend. She's a sales rep for a company called Scentsy. Anyway I made praline pecan cheese cake, creamy spinach and artichoke with potato casserole, nut and seed bread, cheese dip and black bean dip. All vegan obviously. Everyone loved it all and they All wanted my recipe's! Which made me happy:) I actually think I may have convinced one of my friends to switch! (Score 100 for the animals!).